Lobaton HR in 9th lifts Rays

Tampa Bay beats Red Sox 5-4 to cut ALDS deficit to 2-1

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published on
Oct. 7, 2013

Boston Red Sox's Shane Victorino applauds teammate David Ortiz after Victorino scored on a hit by Ortiz in the fifth inning in Game 3 of an American League baseball division series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Monday, Oct. 7, 2013, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, right, hits a three-run home run as Boston Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia watches in the fifth inning during Game 3 of an American League baseball division series in St. Petersburg, Fla., Monday, Oct. 7, 2013. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Jose Lobaton hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Tampa Bay Rays staved off elimination once again, beating the Boston Red Sox 5-4 Monday night.

The Rays cut Boston’s lead in the best-of-five AL division series to 2-1. Game 4 is Tuesday night, with Jake Peavy starting for the Red Sox against Jeremy Hellickson.

Tampa Bay took a win-or-go-home game for the fourth time in nine days. The Rays did it with an unlikely stroke as Lobaton, who came off the bench late in the game, connected against Red Sox closer Koji Uehara.

Lobaton’s shot wound up in the giant fish tank beyond the wall at Tropicana Field.

Evan Longoria’s two-out, three-run homer in the fifth off Clay Buchholz rallied the Rays to a 3-all tie.

Delmon Young, who has a penchant for driving home key runs in October, put Tampa Bay ahead 4-3 with an RBI grounder in the eighth.

The Red Sox tied it in the ninth against Rays closer Fernando Rodney. Dustin Pedroia’s RBI grounder made it 4-all.